50 GREATEST AFRICANS

1. Abd-al-Mumin of the Almohades (ruled 1133-1163 AD) Moroccan Founder of the Almohad Empire that ruled in North Africa and Spain Abd-al-Mumin was a Negro Berber from Morocco. He became the leader of the Almohades, a radical Islamic movement that eventually became the Third Islamic Dynasty in Moslem Spain. Abd-al-Mumin took control of the movement […]

3.Mansa Abubakari II of Mali (flourished 1311 AD)Malian king who sailed to America 181 years before Columbus An Egyptian scholar, Ibn Fadl Al-Umari, published Masalik ab Absar fi Mamalik al Amsar in Cairo around 1342. In the tenth chapter of this work, there is an account of two large maritime voyages ordered by the predecessor […]

5. King Dom Affonso I of Kongo (ruled 1506-1545 AD)Greatest King of Kongo King Dom Affonso I became King of Kongo in 1506 AD. Like many Africans who became Christians, he was baptised with a Portuguese name. When he succeeded to the throne, he was, however, met with vigorous opposition from his non-Christian brother Mpanzu […]

7. Queen Ahmose-Nefertari of Ancient Egypt (flourished c.1709 BC)The most venerated figure in the history of Ancient Egypt Pharaoh Ahmose (ruled 1709-1683 BC) founded the Negro Eighteenth Egyptian Dynasty. Ahmose-Nefertari, his wife, was highly distinguished and did much to help reconstruct the country after centuries of foreign rule. She held the position of Second Prophet […]

9. Professor Ahmed Baba of Songhai (died 1627 AD)Greatest scholar of the sixteenth century world The Songhai Empire ruled about two thirds of West Africa, including the lands now called Mali, Mauritania, Guinea, Senegal, Gambia, Northern Nigeria and Niger. When the Empire collapsed, due to an Arab and European invasion in 1591 AD, its intelligentsia […]

11. Kentake Amanirenas of Kush (flourished c.24 BC)Defender of the Sudanese Kingdom of Kush against Roman aggression The Roman conquest of Egypt in 30 BC brought a new challenge to the Kingdom of Kush, to the south. Augustus Caesar, the Roman emperor, threatened an invasion, following his Egyptian campaign. According to Strabo, a famous geographer, […]

13. Pharaoh Amenemhet III of Ancient Egypt (ruled 3242-3195 BC)Builder of Egypt’s Largest Monument Amenemhet III, the last great ruler of the Egyptian Twelfth Dynasty (3242-3195 BC), built two important pyramids, at Hawara and Dashur. The former monument had a sepulchral chamber weighing a staggering 110 tons of yellow quartzite. He built a hall of […]

15. Queen Amina of Hausaland (ruled 1576-1610 AD)Greatest conqueror of the Nigeria region and its greatest military architect Princess Amina of the Hausa city state of Zazzau was born around 1533. In 1549 she became the heir apparent (Magajiya) to her mother. With the title came responsibility for a ward in the city where she […]

17. Dahia al-Kahina of Mauritania (ruled 688-705 AD)Powerful ruler of the Hausas In 639 AD a new conquering force swept into Africa. The Arabians seized Egypt, Cyrenaica, Tripoli, and pushed on to Carthage and Numidia. The invasion swept away 600 years of Roman occupation. The new conquerors spread Islam from Egypt to Morocco and also […]

19. Pharaoh Djoser of Egypt (5018-4989 BC)Builder of the highly celebrated Saqqara Complex With the Negro Third Egyptian Dynasty (5046-4872 BC) there was a change in public administration. The Prime Minister now led the bureaucratic structure. The great ruler of this dynasty was Pharaoh Djoser. During his 29 years, Egyptian power was felt in Lower […]